The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom state, Obong Udo Ekpenyong, is dead.
Ekpenyong died on Monday in Uyo, following a protracted medical complications which made him to be rushed to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.
A member of the family and political associate who did not want his name on print, said the governor rushed him to hospital for treatment as the sickness persisted, adding that the family was flabbergasted to receive the news that he was dead.
”He was sick for some time until the governor wanted him to be taken to an undisclosed hospital for better care and treatment. We were shocked when we heard that he had passed onto eternity Monday night,’’ he lamented.
Before his election as the state PDP chairman last year, he was the immediate past commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state.
Aged 63, he was known to be a strong supporter of Governor Udom Emmanuel.
An indigene of Ikot Oku Usung in Ukanafun local government area, Ekpenyong was a one-time Ukanafun council Chairman; Special Adviser on Political and Legislative Affairs to ex-Governor Victor Attah and Chairman of ex-officio members of Peoples Democratic Party in the country.
He is survived by wife and five children, and a host of other relations.
He attended Holy Family College, Abak, defunct College of Education, Uyo, and University of Benin.
Ekpenyong was a member of defunct National Republican Convention, All Peoples Party (APP).
Before him in recent times, Akwa Ibom state has lost two leading lights – a former Chief of Air Staff, AVM Nsikak Eduok (retd) who died of renal failure, and a former military governor of the state, Idongesit Nkanga who died of COVID-19.
